Previously...
- After Sarah and Matt's wedding, Ryan proposed marriage to Danielle, and she accepted.
- Sabrina Gage was questioned by the police about her presence in King's Bay. She planned to leave town but, on her way out, received a job offer to become Philip's assistant, so she returned. 
- Ryan came upon Helen harassing Jason and Natalie about their relationship and pulled her aside to tell her off.
- Danielle arrived at Ryan's house to go to dinner with him and found him in the study, bleeding from a gunshot wound. 

After the ambulance races away from the house with Ryan Moriani inside, Danielle Taylor stands in his driveway, the rain thumping down upon her. The police are somewhere in the house, trying to make heads or tails of the apparent shooting. All Danielle wants is to be able to fast-forward this night, to skip the practicalities and logistics and to know what happened to Ryan and what his prognosis will be.

Everything from the moment she found him onward has been a blur of shapes, colors, and sounds. She registered the broken glass from the window in his study, and the seeping puddle of deep red on his shirt. She was able to pull out her cell phone and call 911, and the operator's tinny instructions were enough to guide her through the motions of confirming that Ryan was still breathing and of finding something--the plaid throw blanket that Ryan keeps over the armchair that he uses for reading--to hold over the bleeding wound until she heard the merciful bleating of sirens outside. 

"Officer Bennett will drive you to the hospital," announces a voice from behind her.

Danielle turns, startled, to find her brother standing there, his dark hair sticking to his head thanks to the downpour. 

"Oh," she says, knowing that words are expected of her but unsure what they should be. 

"I'm sorry you couldn't ride in the ambulance," Brent says. "It's a procedural thing. Anyway, you'll be there in a few minutes." "Thanks." Danielle looks between him and Officer Bennett, a burly man with a sympathetic face. He simply nods toward the squad car, waiting at the curb.  Brent steps forward and hugs her. The warmth of his arms around her makes her aware of how cold she is.

"I'll meet you at the hospital soon," he says.

Moving as if she is trapped underwater and every action requires ten times the strength it normally would, Danielle follows Bennett to the car. She murmurs gratefully at his attempts at consoling her during the ride, though the entire thing is as much a formless fog as the past half-hour, or however long it has been.

Bennett leads her into the hospital, and thankfully, Claire Fisher is waiting near the emergency room registration desk.

"Brent called me," Claire explains as she leads Danielle to a chair. "They're taking him into surgery already. He's in great hands."

"Okay." Danielle pulls her purse into her lap; the tingling makes it feel as if she is trying to use Caleb and Christian's inflatable boxing gloves instead of her own hands. "I don't even understand…"

"I know." 

Danielle makes herself look up at the other woman. The lines in Claire's face seem more pronounced than usual, and her dark ponytail sits over one shoulder of her light blue scrubs. 

"You did a very good job holding off the bleeding while you waited for the medics," Claire says. "That could make all the difference."

"Good." Danielle remains distantly aware of everything, almost as if it is a movie she is trying to watch even though she is falling asleep. She just wants to see Ryan.

"Paula doesn't know, does she?" Claire asks.

Danielle shakes her head.

"I'm going to call her. She should be here…" The rest of Claire's sentence evaporates into the air, but the unspoken possibilities send a chill through Danielle.

"Okay," she manages to mutter.

"I'll be back soon," Claire says before dashing off.

"Can I get you anything?" Officer Bennett asks.

All Danielle can do is shake her head. 

RYAN MORIANI'S HOUSE

Back inside the house, Brent winds his way through the busy hallway and into the study. He finds Detective Harris in there, giving instructions to the various crime scene personnel.

"Anything jumping out at you?" Brent asks once Harris is free.

Harris rubs the bridge of his long nose. "Whoever shot me was standing back in that corner." "So they came in through the window and went to that corner to wait for him." "Unless they broke the window make it look like a break-in." Harris holds a pointed stare on Brent.

"There's no way," Brent says, shaking his head forcefully. "My sister did not shoot him."

"Can't discount the possibility."

"Of course not. I sent her to the hospital, but we'll get her statement later. But that doesn't make any sense."

Harris's very thin lips flatten into a nearly undetectable line. Brent surveys the room again: the jagged edges remaining in the window; the specks of blood on the beige carpet from when the paramedics were moving Ryan; the familiarity of the entire scene. But one element in particular catches his eye. 

"Holy shit," he mutters. Then he turns sharply toward Harris. "Why didn't you tell me about that?"

Danielle sits in the waiting room, a styrofoam cup of tea pressed between her palms. She has no interest in drinking it, but the warmth is a welcome respite from the dampness she has been carrying with her for however long it has been since she stood out in the rain. She is distantly aware of Officer Bennett, who has been careful to make sure that she knows he is present without intruding on her personal space.

"Danielle?" she hears a woman ask, and she looks up to see Paula Fisher hurrying into the waiting area, her husband mere steps behind her. Grateful for this new distraction and the semblance of movement, Danielle wills herself to rise from the stiff chair.

She does not hesitate to greet the Fishers with hugs. She has never been especially close to them, despite having nearly married Paula's son once before, but this moment is so confusing and overwhelming that she needs the physical contact to ground it, somehow. Paula and Bill seem to agree.

"I don't understand what happened," Paula says. Her words sound watery with worry. 

"I really don't know," Danielle says. "I was with Ryan this afternoon, and we were supposed to go to dinner. I came over to the house and found him in the study…" She pauses to take a deep breath in a fruitless attempt to center herself. "He was lying face-down, and there was blood all over his back. It looked like he'd been shot."

Paula gasps.

"My god," Bill says.

"The window was broken," Danielle adds. "Someone must have broken in." 

Paula sighs helplessly and knots her hands together.

"We let the kids know," Bill says. "Molly and Jason are on their way. I'm not sure about Tim. Sarah and Matt are still on their honeymoon, so I had to leave a message."

The sound of the door swinging open steals all their attention, and they see Claire emerging from the corridor and walking gravely toward them.

"No," Paula says, shaking her head. Her face is tense, almost quivering, challenging Claire to come out and say the awful thing they are all fearing.

"They're transferring Ryan to the ICU," Claire says instead.

Danielle swears that she can hear the room itself breathe a sigh of relief. 

"He made it through surgery okay?" she asks.

"Yes. I don't have any details," Claire says, "but they're moving him to a room. The doctor should be out to speak to you guys in a few minutes."

"Oh, thank goodness," Paula says as she grasps Bill's hand tightly. 

After her shift ends, Officer Rosie Jimenez wants nothing more than to change out of her uniform and into comfortable clothes so that she can sprawl on her couch and finish watching Daredevil on Netflix. But she remembers that she has nothing she can transform into dinner back at her studio apartment, so she stops at a restaurant a few blocks away downtown.

She is sitting by herself at a table beside the rain-streaked window, eating her turkey burger and reading a news article on her phone, when something outside catches her eye. It takes a moment for her to place the face, but once she makes the association, she is certain that she is right.

"Excuse me," she says to a passing waitress--not the one who has been serving her--as she stands from her table. "I need to run outside real fast, but I promise I'm not ditching out on my bill."

The waitress regards her with confusion.

"I just need to say hi to that woman," Rosie explains, pointing out the window, and then she darts out of the restaurant before the waitress can even respond.

"Sabrina Gage," she says, and the other woman turns around immediately on the still-wet pavement. 

Sabrina's face scrunches but then, as she takes in Rosie's uniform, recognition dawns on her.

"So it is you," Rosie says. "I thought you were leaving town." 

"I--I was. I did." Sabrina seems disoriented and as if she is attempting to gather herself; she pushes a lock of dark hair back behind her ear. "Officer, I'm sorry, but I have every right to be in King's Bay. I've done nothing wrong--"

"I didn't say you had."

"Then I really need to go."

"Fine. But stay away from Jason Fisher, okay?"

"I will. I promise." Sabrina turns to go, and as she hurries away, Rosie can't help but notice the tear in her jeans, on the back of her thigh. 

KING'S BAY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

"Our focus was on stopping the hemorrhaging and closing up the damaged colon. We've managed to stabilize him for the time being."

Dr. Nora Chen stands in the waiting room, a swarm of Ryan's loved ones before her as she explains the results of his surgery.

"What do you mean, for the time being?" Paula asks. 

"We had to remove a section of his colon," the doctor says. "Our goal at this stage is, to put it simply, damage control. Ryan lost a large amount of blood, and the harm done was… significant."

A dark cloud settles over the group as they absorb this.

Dr. Chen continues, "He's going to require additional surgery to repair the colon and restore what we call intestinal continuity."

Everyone nods in grim understanding, though it is clear that these details are of less interest than the headline: Ryan is alive.  Danielle leans forward in her seat, her elbows pressed into her knees. "When can we see him?" "You'll be able to go into his room very soon," Dr. Chen says. "There's no guarantee when he will wake up, though. His body has been through a very significant trauma."

More nods. Molly stands behind her seated parents and places a hand on each of their shoulders. Beside her, Jason is still as a statue, his face blank and pale.

"Do you have any questions?" the doctor asks.

The family murmurs among themselves, unsure.

"I'm of course available if you do," says Dr. Chen.

"And I can try to explain anything you need," Claire, who has been standing behind Chen, adds.

"Thank you, Doctor," Paula says, and Dr. Chen excuses herself with a solemn nod. The family remains in place, uncertain what they are supposed to do or say next.

"How is he?" comes a voice from the entry. They turn to see Brent coming their way.

"He's recovering from surgery in the ICU," Claire explains.

Brent's entire being radiates urgency, a stark contrast to the others' sluggish energy. Nevertheless, he slides into the empty chair beside Danielle and wraps an arm around his sister.

"Is he awake yet?" Brent asks.

Danielle and Claire both shake their heads.

"I'm going to need to question him as soon as he's able to speak to me," he says.

Danielle looks over to him, her eyes pleading. "Brent, come on…"

"It's important. It's very possible Ryan saw whoever did this to him."

"I'm just worried about stressing him out so quickly," Danielle says.

Brent nods. "I know. But there's something…" He trails off as he searches for the right phrasing. "There was something at the crime scene that you all need to know about."

"What do you mean?" Bill asks.

"There was a set of footprints stamped in blood. They looked identical to the ones we found at the scene of Sandy's death."

"Oh my goodness!" Paula exclaims. 

"So we're dealing with some kind of sick bastard who's after--who? All of us?" Jason says.

"I don't know," Brent says. "But that's why whatever Ryan might have seen is crucial. In the meantime, I'm making sure you're all under police protection."

"Why would someone be doing something so horrible?" Paula bemoans.

Brent does his best to keep his tone reassuring. "That's what I'm going to find out." 

* * * * *

Minutes later, the family and Danielle trek anxiously down the corridor toward Ryan's room. Jason remains in the rear of the group, doing his best to block out all the white and all the noise around him. He hates being here, in the hospital at all, and in the ICU especially; it is difficult not to feel bombarded with memories of his wedding night.

Paula, who has been leading the way, pauses in the doorway of Ryan's room. Jason, Molly, Danielle, and Bill linger behind her and wait as she takes in the sight of her eldest son. He lies motionless in the bed, tubes and wires connecting him to a variety of machines. 

"Oh, Ryan," Paula finally says, her voice quiet. She proceeds to his bedside and nervously touches his hand. 

Jason makes himself look. His brother is still and colorless. He looks older than he did even today at work. It is as if someone took the Ryan that he knows and put him through some kind of terrible filter. 

As Danielle rounds the bed to stand on its other side, Bill slides a chair over for Paula to sit in. As she does, she holds Ryan's hand.

"You're going to be all right," she says. "I know you are."

* * * * *

When Claire's shift ends, she doesn't even consider going home. She gets a warm sweater from her locker and plants herself in the waiting room to await word on Ryan. She is sitting there, thumbing through a magazine, when Tim Fisher enters from the elevators.

"Are there any updates?" he asks.

Claire sets the magazine aside. "He's out of surgery. Your family is in with him now."

"Okay, good. I didn't want to drag Travis and Samantha down here unless it was really dire."

She nods in agreement. "I'm surprised you came."

"So am I." He shrugs uncomfortably. "Whatever differences I might have with Ryan, though, I want to be here for my mom. And Jason is so close with him, too." "Yeah." Tim takes the seat beside her. "They don't have any idea who did this yet?" he asks. "Not that I've heard. Brent told us something disturbing, though."

"What?"

She glances around and lowers her voice. "That they found another set of bloody footprints at the scene--same as they found near Sandy's body on New Year's Eve."

"What the hell? That means someone wanted to make sure everyone knew the two crimes were connected."

"Yeah. I don't…" She sighs. "I really have no idea what to think."

Tim leans in conspiratorially. "I wouldn't say this in front of my mother, but… isn't it possible Ryan got himself involved in something again?"

"You mean mob stuff."

"I don't know. Something shady. A weird deal. Double-crossing someone. It isn't the craziest thing to consider."

"No," Claire admits. "I guess it isn't."

Before Tim can expand upon his theory, though, Molly comes rushing into the room. As she registers the sight of her older brother, she asks, "Where's Brent?"

"He went outside to make a phone call," Claire says. "What's going on?"

"Ryan's awake."

* * * * *

"It's so good to see those eyes," Danielle says, unable to suppress her smile as she sits beside Ryan's hospital bed and holds his hand.

"Yours, too," he manages to say, though his voice is thinner and raspier than normal. "All of you."

"And there'll be plenty more time for staring at each other very soon," Brent announces as he enters the room. "I hate to interrupt, but I really need to ask Ryan a few questions."

"Do you have to do it right now?" Paula asks.

"It's fine," Ryan says. 

"I promise I'll keep it brief," Brent says. 

The others file toward the door. Brent waits until they are gone and then closes it. 

"Sorry I have to do this right now, but the sooner we have information to work with, the better," he says as he takes the seat next to Ryan's bed.

Ryan pauses and closes his eyes for a long moment, as if hoping to recharge a rapidly draining battery. 

"Have you found anything?" he asks when he reopens his eyes.

"We have plenty of bits and pieces. The trick is trying to make sense of them. Do you remember what happened? Can you walk me through it?"

"Yeah," Ryan says. Even the single syllable comes out slowly, and the rest takes much longer: "I was waiting for Danielle to come over. We were supposed to go to dinner. I was in the living room…" He drifts off into thought for a few seconds. "I was in the living room, waiting. Then I heard something break from the back of the house."

"What did it sound like?"

"Glass. The light was on in the study, which it… I know I shut it before."

"What did you find in there?"

"The window was broken." Ryan swallows hard and seems to be straining. "There was glass all over the floor."

"And you went into the study?"

Ryan's head bobs weakly in confirmation. 

"Was anyone in there?"

"No. I mean, yes, but I didn't see anyone. The next thing I knew was--I was--" He winces. "Someone fired a gun from behind me."

Brent furrows his brow. "You didn't see that person at all? Not even a glimpse of their feet?"

"No." Ryan closes his eyes again, as if trying to replay the scene in his mind. "I don't think I saw anything."

"Okay." Brent jots down a few thoughts in his small notebook. "Do you remember anyone showing up and finding you?"

"I remember Danielle's voice. Yeah. I heard her. I don't think I could even answer her…"

"All right."

"Brent." A note of greater urgency is suddenly present in Ryan's voice. "I need to ask you something."

Brent looks up from his notebook. "What is it?"

"I need a favor. It's really important." 

* * * * *

When Jason announces that he is going down to the cafeteria and asks the others if they would like anything, Danielle surprises them by offering to go with him. As they ride down in the elevator, she insists that she feels better being busy and doing something rather than simply waiting around. It isn't until they have returned to the elevator and are riding back up, each carrying a tray of coffee and tea cups, that she broaches the sensitive matter she has wanted to discuss with him all evening long.

"Ryan mentioned something to me earlier today," she says, "and I didn't think it was a big deal at the time…"

Jason turns to regard her. "But?"

"But it might be." She looks at the numbers atop the elevator doors, lighting up in succession. "He said he had an argument with Helen today."

A spark of understanding flashes over Jason's face. "She swung by the arena with Sophie and was giving Natalie and me kind of a hard time. Ryan pulled her aside to tell her to back off, I think."

"You don't know what they said?"

"Not specifically. Helen came back over in kind of a huff and took Sophie to breakfast. Ryan didn't tell me what had happened."

"Okay." Danielle exhales loudly and hopes that she doesn't come off as completely insane for mentioning this. "I know this seems crazy."

"Helen wouldn't try to kill Ryan for scolding her," he says, though he doesn't sound entirely convinced. "She didn't murder Sandy. She couldn't have."

"You didn't think she was capable of having your daughter kidnapped, either," Danielle says.

The elevator dings and its doors part. 

"I don't know," is all Jason can say. They seem to reach a silent agreement not to carry this subject back into the waiting room with them, but it is not an issue, because as soon as they return, Brent is coming toward them eagerly.

"Hand those out and come with me," he says to Danielle.

"Why? What's going on?" The look on his face does not seem to suggest something awful, but she has no idea what this could be about.

"It's a surprise," Brent explains as he hurries her along.

* * * * *

Moments later, everyone has gathered again in Ryan's room.     

"Come here," Ryan says, reaching a hand out toward Danielle. "I'd like you to meet someone."

She regards the man standing there--someone she has never seen before, a man who appears to be in his 60s with a horseshoe of mostly white hair--curiously.

"Judge Aumond," he says, extending a hand. Danielle shakes it as she looks to Ryan for explanation.

"We said we wanted to surprise everyone," Ryan says. The mass of the hospital pillow shifts around his head as he moves. Danielle's eyes widen. "Oh my god. Are you sure?" "Very." "What are you talking about?" Paula asks from behind them. "After Sarah's wedding," Ryan says, pausing for a labored breath, "I asked Danielle to marry me."

Danielle looks back at the family over her shoulder. "We got our marriage license this afternoon."

"Ryan asked me to see if I knew a judge who could come down here," Brent explains.

"This isn't exactly the way I planned on surprising everyone," Danielle says, "but I guess this is as good a time as any."

She swears that she can see some color return to Ryan's face.

"Well, then," Judge Aumond says, "we're gathered here tonight to join Danielle and Ryan in marriage."

Brent steps aside to join Bill, Paula, Molly, Jason, Tim, and Claire near the back wall of the room. 

"As I understand it, you've had quite a journey to this point," the judge says. "Tonight we celebrate the love the two of you share and the commitment you are vowing to make to one another for the rest of your lives."

Danielle cannot quite believe this is happening. She has had two weddings planned down to the smallest detail, both of which ended in nothing short of disaster. For the real thing to be taking place in a hospital room, with Ryan recovering from surgery… it is nothing like she has ever pictured, and yet she knows in her heart that this is the exact right time for it.

"Ryan told me that he would like to speak his own vows," Judge Aumond says.

Ryan shuffles in the bed, struggling to pull himself just a few inches up the bed.

"Be careful," Danielle says.

"I'm okay." Holding her hand in his, he fixes his attention fully upon her. "Danielle, I've looked forward to this day for so long. There have been so many times when I didn't think it would ever come. But in a way, I can't think of a better setting--because you saved my life. Over and over. You saved me from myself at some of my lowest moments. You…" He pauses, and Danielle momentarily worries that something is wrong, but soon enough, he finds his words. "You showed me compassion when I needed it most, and you taught me how to be a better man than I ever thought I was capable of being. Nothing in the world would make me happier than to be able to call you my wife."

Danielle feels tears stinging her eyes as she listens to him.

"I love you," Ryan says. "Thank you for going on this journey with me."

She hears sniffling from behind her.

"Danielle, what would you like to say to Ryan?" the judge asks.

"Well, I'm not exactly prepared," she says with a laugh, "but I don't think I need to be. Ryan, you've been one of the most wonderful surprises of my life. I never expected to fall in love with you--but you've shown me, time and time again, that you understand me in a way that no one ever really has. I--I can't imagine my life without you. I love you."

"Ryan, do you take Danielle to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to love, honor, and cherish her, respect her, comfort her, keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, until death do you apart?"

"I do."

"And Danielle, do you take Ryan to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to love, honor, and cherish him, respect him, comfort him, keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, until death do you apart?"

"I do."

Danielle knows that there are other people in the room, but she cannot focus on anyone but Ryan. 

"May I have the rings?" the judge asks.

"Rings?" Danielle asks, broken from her reverie.

Brent holds out his hand and gives the judge two pieces of plastic, one of which Danielle recognizes quite well.

"Is that…?"

"The straw I gave you the other night," Ryan says, grinning past his pain.

"He told me it was probably in your purse, so I went digging," Brent says. "Don't be mad."

"I'll make an exception this one time," she says. 

"And I had Brent go down to the cafeteria to get me one," Ryan says, indicating the red coffee stirrer twisted and tied into a hoop.

"Ryan, place this ring on Danielle's finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring…"

"I give you this ring…"

"As a symbol of my love and faithfulness…"

"As a symbol of my love and faithfulness…"

"So long as we both shall live."

"So long as we both shall live." Ryan slides the piece of black plastic onto Danielle's ring finger.

"Danielle, place this ring on Ryan's finger and repeat after me…"

She manages to retain the words long enough to recite them as she slips the red makeshift ring onto Ryan's hand.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Washington," the judge declares, "I now pronounce you husband and wife."

As the Fishers and Brent clap behind them, Danielle leans down and kisses her new husband. She is careful not to press too hard, not to demand too much of him, but the mere touch of their lips, with the words "husband and wife" echoing in her ears, sends a jolt of electric joy through her body.

* * * * *

The attendees of the impromptu wedding spend several minutes congratulating the newlyweds, until finally Claire speaks up.

"I don't know how long I can get away with having this many people in a room," she says, "and Ryan needs to rest, so this might be a good time for everyone to hit the cafeteria."

"I want to go call Elly, anyway," Danielle says. She gives Ryan a final kiss before heading for the door. Tim has already moved out into the hallway, and Molly and Jason follow.

"Mom, Bill, could you stay for a moment?" Ryan says. His voice is thin now, no doubt from all the recent excitement. He cannot deny that he is bone-tired, and even though the doctors gave him a healthy amount of pain medication, his body is sore beyond belief. His head feels as though it is full of cotton balls, though that could be because of or in spite of the painkillers.

Claire leads the rest of the group out. 

"Just a minute more. Then he needs to sleep," she tells Ryan and the Fishers before she, too, leaves.

"What is it?" Paula asks.

"I want to thank you," Ryan says. "Both of you. Bill--the way you've let me be a part of your family, considering…" He doesn't have the strength to articulate what he means, but Bill nods his head to show that he understands.

"You're my wife's son," he says, "and my children's brother."

"And Mom." Ryan exhales and manages to smile. "I can't believe I get to call you that. You've gone out of your way to be there for me--"

"Oh, stop," Paula says, but her eyes are misty.

"It's true. I'm so lucky to have you as my mother. I know I haven't always been deserving, but…"

"Ryan. You are my son. My only regret is that we lost so many years together."

"But we found each other. That's what counts."  He swallows again, harder, and finds it surprisingly painful. "I'm just sorry for everything I've put you through."

"I love you," Paula says. "Rest up."

"I love you, too," he says, or tries to say, but suddenly there is a searing warmth in his chest somewhere, and he could swear that a film of red passes over his eyes, and then he hears a shrill beep, but it sounds distant and far away… so far away...

* * * * *

Some time later, the vigil has reassembled in the waiting room. Molly sits beside Danielle, an arm around her good friend and sister-in-law.

"I don't understand how this could have happened," Danielle says quietly. "He seemed okay."

"He is okay," Molly replies. "Complications happen. The doctors were right there. He's going to be fine."

Molly can feel her own heart thumping nervously, threatening to betray the thin veneer of reassurance she hopes Danielle cannot see through. Beside her, Danielle stares at the black plastic ring on her finger--so silly, so flimsy, and yet so meaningful.

Across the room, Paula sits in a chair facing the swinging doors. She cannot stop watching them, as if fearful that she might miss some clue, some update. 

"We'll know something soon," Bill says as he stops pacing behind her. Paula nods solemnly, too frightened to make any conjectures aloud.

Meanwhile, Claire leans against a wall, checking her phone. The brightness of the screen is harsh, and she tucks the device into the pocket of her scrubs and rubs her eyes. 

"You can go home if you want to," Tim says, approaching her. "You must be wiped."

"I am. But it's Ryan. I feel like I should be here, you know?"

"Yeah. I understand. It must've been weird for you watching him marry Danielle…"

She shrugs. "I'm glad he's found someone. It really does seem like he's turned his life around."

Tim is considering whether he should grant that much when the double doors fly open and Dr. Chen emerges.

"What's happening?" Paula asks, springing to her feet.

Danielle stiffens in her chair.

The doctor's face tightens. The chords in her throat jump as she swallows hard.

"I'm so sorry," she finally says.

"Oh my god," Danielle mutters as she sits up straight.

"No," Paula says. "It can't be--"

"We did all that we could," Dr. Chen says. "There was a severe tear in his aorta. We tried everything--"

Paula interrupts her with a terse, "No." But in the next second, her feet seem to go out from under her, and she collapses against Bill as she sobs. "No. No. Ryan…"

END OF EPISODE #773

What will Ryan's passing mean for the Fishers?
Will Danielle be able to make it through this?
What about Sabrina and Helen?
Join us in the Footprints Forum to discuss now!

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